The present disclosure relates generally to a dielectric resonator antenna (DRA), particularly to a multiple layer DRA, and more particularly to a broadband multiple layer DRA for microwave and millimeter wave applications.
Existing resonators and arrays employ patch antennas, and while such antennas may be suitable for their intended purpose, they also have drawbacks, such as limited bandwidth, limited efficiency, and therefore limited gain. Techniques that have been employed to improve the bandwidth have typically led to expensive and complicated multilayer and multi-patch designs, and it remains challenging to achieve bandwidths greater than 25%. Furthermore, multilayer designs add to unit cell intrinsic losses, and therefore reduce the antenna gain. Additionally, patch and multi-patch antenna arrays employing a complicated combination of metal and dielectric substrates make them difficult to produce using newer manufacturing techniques available today, such as three-dimensional (3D) printing (also known as additive manufacturing).
Accordingly, and while existing DRAs may be suitable for their intended purpose, the art of DRAs would be advanced with a DRA structure that can overcome the above noted drawbacks.
The following publications may be considered as useful background art: (1) US 2008/278378 A1 (CHANG TZE-HSUAN [TW] ET AL) 13 Nov. 2008; (2) KAKADE A B et al,; “Analysis of the Rectangular Waveguide Slot Coupled Multilayer Hemispherical Dielectric Resonator Antenna”, IET MICROWAVES, ANTENNAS & PROPAGATION, THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY, UNITED KINGDOM, vol. 6, no. 3, 21 Feb. 2012 (Feb. 21, 2012), pages 338-347, XP011441333, ISSN: 1751-8725, DOI: 10.1049/IET-MAP,2011.0315; (3) KIN-LU WONG ET AL: “Analysis of a Hemispherical Dielectric Resonator Antenna with an Airgap”, IEEE MICROWAVE AND GUIDED WAVE LETTERS, IEEE INC, NEW YORK, US, vol. 3, no, 10, 1 Oct. 1993 (Oct. 1, 1993), pages 355-357, XP000404005, ISSN: 1051-8207, DOI; 10.1109/75,242259; (4) US 2014/327591 Al (KOKKINOS TITOS [DE]) 6 Nov. 2014.